H.M. Queen Sonja Receives the The Messenger Award
NOVEMBER 30, 2025
THE MESSENGER AWARD
The award ceremony will take place at Chat Noir theater during the performance “Jazz Noir: The Walt Disney Songbook” with The Norwegian Jazz Orchestra with Felix Peikli feat. Benny Benack III, on Sunday, November 30th at 6:00 PM, where H.M. Queen Sonja will be present to personally receive the award.
This year’s recipient of The Messenger Award is Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway, who through many years has demonstrated a deep and heartfelt love for jazz. With her warm presence at concerts and her genuine engagement with art and culture, the Queen has helped strengthen the place of American jazz in Norway, inspiring both musicians and audiences alike.
Jazz is a living cultural heritage, an American folk tradition that has shaped generations of artists and moved people across the world. Its power lies not only in the music itself, but in the people who carry the tradition forward: the performers, mentors, audiences, and advocates who keep the spirit alive.
To honor those who have made an extraordinary contribution in preserving and elevating the legacy of jazz, Jazz Music Norway presents The Messenger Award for the very first time in 2025.
The Norwegian Jazz Orchestra with Felix Peikli - September 2025
A Lifelong Advocate for the Arts
Her Majesty Queen Sonja has been a lifelong advocate for the arts. Through her passion, appreciation, and steadfast commitment to the tradition of jazz, she has highlighted the music’s profound cultural importance. Her genuine dedication stands as a living example of how love for music can preserve and renew a heritage that belongs to both our time and future generations.
“Jazz washes away the dust of every day life”
Art Blakey
The Legacy of Art Blakey
“The Messenger Award is created to honor those who carry jazz forward as a living American folk tradition, an art form rooted in communication, respect, and community. Her Majesty Queen Sonja has been an invaluable supporter of this tradition, and it is a great honor to present this award to her on behalf of the entire jazz community,” says Felix Peikli, founder and CEO of Jazz Music Norway.
Jazz Music Norway founder and CEO, Felix Peikli
The award ceremony will take place at Chat Noir, on Sunday, November 30th at 6:00 PM, where H.M. Queen Sonja will be present to personally receive the award.
